Young Farmers’ Clubs are supporting farmers affected by the worst floods on record by organising supplies and raising funds.

As Somerset was one of the areas hit most severely by the floods, members of Somerset Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs (FYFC) have been supporting the local farming community.

When the waters started to rise again towards the end of last week, members gathered together to fill 750 sandbags. They also used their tractors and trailers to help move cattle from former YFC member James Winslade’s farm, which was flooding.

Many houses are deep in water and as families were forced to evacuate in the early hours of the morning many of them only have the clothes they left in.

Joy Davenport, Vice Chairman for Somerset FYFC (pictured with NFYFC Chairman Claire Worden), said: “It’s not just haylage and fodder we need; it’s also clothes as well as food for the people that are helping out. People are asking for the basics such as towels and socks for those people who can’t reach their homes due to the water.”

Somerset County office is still accessible via one of the routes and they are trying to keep members updated via the website. Joy said there are lots of ways Young Farmers can help.

“We’re just asking YFC members to get behind us by even doing something as small as putting a post on Facebook to help us get our message out there. Some people have their houses 6ft under water and the bottom of their house has completely gone, their possessions and everything. So even if people can donate a pair of socks that’s amazing and will be appreciated."

Joy was able to share the problems in Somerset at the recent NFYFC Council meeting and was overwhelmed by the support from clubs across England and Wales – including the offer of forage from Essex FYFC.

“It’s absolutely fantastic. When I started talking at the Council meeting, I could feel myself welling up. Just to have support from fellow Young Farmers is amazing.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Before sending any aid to help flooded farms, it's best to coordinate your efforts with people on the ground in flooded areas. You can find lots of information on doing this on the NFU website in their floodng information.

#ForageAid and #ClubHectare are supporting farmers in the Somerset levels with much needed straw, animal feed and baled forage crops, as well as urgently needed supplies such as clothing, wellington boots, waterproofs, fuel donations and a multitude of other donations they have received including financial support.

The distribution team in Somerset Jono Dixon (who is the #ClubHectare boss) and Johann Tasker (from Farmers Weekly and a #ClubHectare member) as well as #ForageAid coordinator Andrew Ward in Lincolnshire are desperately asking for wheat, barley, triticale or oat straw to be donated to the cause in Somerset via #ForageAid.

They would like more than 30 trailer loads of straw. Tom Ward from Brightcrop and a member of #ForageAid and #ClubHectare said: "Whilst we understand and don't expect that all to come from one supplier, any donated loads would be greatly appreciated as the agricultural community is pulling together to help these farmers out as they have lost everything, thousands of cattle, sheep, goats, horses etc have been moved to dryer locations but need bedding and feeding."

If you are able to donate but not haul aswell, #ForageAid can arrange haulage or Tesco curtain siders to collect from your location. You can contact Andrew Ward on 07850 132 189 or Jono Dixon on 07850 927 587.

NFYFC have collected more than £400 to support the relief effort in Somerset so far. If you would like to make a donation to support the Somerset Emergency Relief Fund, please click here

Five BBC Radio 1 DJs will play at Annual Convention 2014 in
Blackpool, and the weekend is set to be the biggest YFC event in the
last 10 years.

DJs Scott Mills and Chris Stark will play the Sunday night of
Annual Convention, when members will be dressed in club shirts. Jameela
Jamil is back by popular demand and will entertain thousands of
Young Farmers on Friday night in the Winter Gardens, while Edith Bowman
and Aled Haydn
Jones will welcome the crowds on Saturday night to see members dressed
as something beginning with Y,F or C.

Three bands will also be on stage over the weekend, including three piece pop/rock band Boomin, five piece party band the Tzars and on Saturday night a Queen tribute act will perform, as voted for by members in an online poll.

The entertainment for the weekend was announced during the first Council meeting of the year in Coventry. NFYFC tweeted live updates throughout the meeting using the hashtag #yfccouncil and the news was re-tweeted by followers more than 200 times.

When NFYFC asked if the DJs were excited about their sets, Chris Stark and Aled Haydn Jones tweeted back:

@Chris_Stark "@NFYFC it's going to be so much fun!!!"

@ahj (Aled Haydn Jones) "@NFYFC CANNOT wait! #BestNightOfMyYear"

The new line up was met with excitement from members following announcements on Twitter.

Rachael Garner @RachaelGarner10 #yfcagm line up is sooo good! well done @NFYFC!

SallyBelfield @sallybelfield Missing @scott_mills and @Chris_Stark for a Monday exam on the #yfcagm is probably the worst thing ever :( #sogutted

Susan Pattinson @Sue_Patt The fact that @scott_mills and @Chris_Stark are gonna be at the AGM is amazingggggg!!! #excited #yfcagm #blackpool

Chloe Wasden @ChloeWasden Seeing the lineup for the yfc AGM I am very excited to be giving my deposit in next weekend #yfcagm #blackpool

Daniel Cook @cookyd92 @Chris_Stark can't wait for @NFYFC #AGM to see you and @scott_mills

The NFYFC Youth Forum has elected Welsh member Sioned Davies as its first Chairman to lead the Steering Group.

Sioned, from Edw Valley YFC, was elected into the position during a meeting at the Youth Forum Residential 2014 weekend in Herefordshire. The Steering Group also elected two Vice Chairmen to work with Sioned –
Danielle McNulty, from Painswick YFC and Helen Brown from Carlisle YFC.

Sioned, who was the Welsh Youth Forum Chairman, was delighted to take on the national role and tweeted after the meeting: “Thanks for a really great weekend! Some very exciting suggestions for consideration at Council next weekend!”

Speaking during the weekend, Sioned explained the importance of the group: “Often the views of the younger members are overlooked or not taken seriously. It’s nice that the Youth Forum is given a formal platform to influence the decisions of Council.”

The Youth Forum, which was formed in 2010 to represent the views of members under the age of 18, was officially made into a Steering Group last year. The new status gives members of the group the opportunity to attend Council meetings and ensures its views are formally considered by the four other steering groups and Council members.

The meeting, which was also attended by new sponsors AGCO Parts, was part of a weekend of activities in Herefordshire. Nine members of the Youth Forum took part in clay pigeon shooting and quad biking at Oaker Wood Leisure on the weekend break.

Tom Collison, 18 from Norfolk, is one of the founding members of the Youth Forum and said the group was really pleased to have the support of AGCO.

“AGCO Parts is part of one of the biggest farming companies in the world and it’s really good to have them on board helping out the Youth Forum and young farmers in general.

The Youth Forum is made up of the winners of the Junior Member of the Year and a representative from each Area. Members have a place on the Forum for two years.